Khartoum (EFE).— Sudan’s Meteorological Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation issued a red alert on Sunday, warning of a “very high risk” of flooding along the Nile River, threatening five states already vulnerable due to conflict and weak infrastructure.
The alert, in force from Sunday morning until Tuesday at 10:00 pm, follows a sharp rise in water levels in the White Nile and Blue Nile rivers.
Officials said the surge could inundate farmland, low-lying communities, roads, and vital infrastructure in the states of Blue Nile, Sennar, Khartoum, River Nile, and White Nile.
The statement warned of “direct risks” to both public and private property, urging residents and local administrations to take immediate preventive measures to minimize damage.
Sudanese authorities recommended disconnecting electricity during floods to prevent fatal accidents, avoiding riverbanks and flooded areas, and storing crops, documents, and emergency supplies in elevated locations.
They also urged prioritizing assistance to vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly, and identifying safe shelters for potential evacuations.
Sudan’s rainy season runs mainly from June to October, peaking in the latter months with heavy downpours that often trigger widespread flooding, heighten disease outbreaks, and obstruct humanitarian access to conflict-hit regions.
Last year, Save the Children reported the collapse of a key bridge in Darfur, in western Sudan, hampering aid deliveries to hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the war that erupted in 2023 between the national army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group. EFE
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